Post Publication Discussion

Kertha Semaya: Journal Ilmu Hukum is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal welcomes constructive academic discussion, critical commentary, and corrections to published articles. In accordance with the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regarding COPE Handling of Post-Publication Critiques, Kertha Semaya: Journal Ilmu Hukum provides mechanisms for post-publication discussion as well as for making corrections, revisions, or retractions of published articles when necessary.

1. Scope of Post-Publication Discussion
Submitted post-publication discussions may take the form of a Letter to the Editor. Post-publication discussions must be relevant to the article under discussion, supported by adequate academic arguments or evidence, and communicated in a professional and respectful manner. Personal attacks, defamatory statements, unsubstantiated allegations, and content unrelated to scientific discussion will not be accepted.

2. Submission of Discussions and Corrections
Readers wishing to submit a discussion, commentary, or correction regarding a published article should contact the editorial team of Kertha Semaya: Journal Ilmu Hukum through the official journal editorial contact channels. Submissions must clearly identify the target article, including the title, author names, publication year, and DOI or URL if available. Requesters must specifically explain the issue raised, include supporting references or evidence where necessary, and state the requested clarification or correction.
The Editor may request additional information or supporting documentation if necessary to evaluate the submission. The journal reserves the right to reject submissions that fall outside the scope of scientific discussion, lack adequate academic grounding, contain unsubstantiated allegations, or fail to meet the journal's applicable editorial requirements.

3. Editorial Assessment and Review
Every post-publication discussion or correction must undergo editorial assessment. The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the Editorial Board as necessary, will consider the relevance, academic merit, accuracy, clarity, and potential significance of the submission.
If a submission raises credible concerns regarding factual errors, inaccurate citations, research integrity, or other material issues, the Editor may contact the relevant authors to request an explanation or supporting evidence. Assessments will be conducted fairly and impartially, considering the information available to the journal and responses from the concerned parties.

4. Authors' Right to Respond
Where a post-publication discussion directly criticizes the content, methodology, interpretation, or conclusions of a published article, the original authors will generally be granted a reasonable opportunity to respond before the Editor reaches a final publication decision. The response must address the key issues raised and, where necessary, be supported by relevant academic arguments, references, or evidence.
If accepted, the initial discussion may be published as a Letter to the Editor, while the authors' response may be published as a Reply to the Letter to the Editor. The Editor will determine the appropriate format and timing of publication, considering editorial requirements, the relevance of the response, and the need to provide readers with a balanced and informative academic discussion.
Granting an opportunity to respond does not guarantee publication. Both the discussion and the response must meet the journal's editorial and ethical standards. The Editor may request revisions, clarifications, or additional evidence prior to making a decision.

5. Editorial Decisions and Publication of Discussions
Following evaluation, the Editor may accept the discussion or correction for publication, request revisions, or reject the submission with sufficient editorial grounds. Accepted discussions and responses may be published in a subsequent issue or through other publication formats supported by Acta Comitas: Jurnal Hukum Kenotariatan.
To the extent possible, published discussions and the target article must be clearly linked so that readers can identify and access both contributions. Acta Comitas: Jurnal Hukum Kenotariatan aims to facilitate transparent scientific discussion while ensuring that editorial decisions remain independent, fair, and based on academic considerations rather than personal, institutional, or commercial interests.

6. Research Integrity Issues and Further Editorial Actions
If a post-publication submission raises credible concerns regarding alleged plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, citation manipulation, redundant publication, unethical research, or other forms of alleged research integrity misconduct, the Editor will handle the issue in accordance with the policies of Acta Comitas: Jurnal Hukum Kenotariatan on research misconduct and the relevant COPE Handling of Post-Publication Critiques guidelines.
The Editor may request explanations from the authors and, if necessary, contact the authors' affiliated institutions or other competent bodies to conduct further investigations. The journal will evaluate the available evidence before determining appropriate editorial actions. If the evaluation reveals that the publication record requires formal correction or that the article is no longer suitable for reference, Kertha Semaya: Journal Ilmu Hukum may publish a correction, expression of concern, article retraction, or other notice in accordance with COPE guidelines.